


Comets - A Series of Oneshots

by fullmetalscully



Series: Comets [2]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Medieval, F/M, Magic, Romance, Royai - Freeform, Royai kid, teenage royai
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-08-03 05:57:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 19,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16320407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fullmetalscully/pseuds/fullmetalscully
Summary: Medieval AU. Following the events of Comets this fic is a collection of oneshots which explores life for Elizabeth and Roy afterwards. Both fluff and angst. If you don't want to read Comets just think of it as a collection of Medieval AU oneshots





	1. Regret - Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love this world too much not to continue with it. I definitely wanted to do a sequel and decided this would be the best way to do it. This has also already been posted for a while on fanfic.net so I am just adding it in here.  
> This is a sequel so the majority of oneshots here take place after the events of Comets. I'd advise you to read it if you haven't already!  
> The time line will jump backwards and forwards and there may be two - maybe even three - parters (so not really oneshots but shhh). I'm just going to write each idea which comes into my head regarding these two characters - updates will be sporadic!  
> I hope you enjoy this fic and collection of oneshots! Let me know what you think!

**REGRET PART 1**

**ROY**

Roy sighed heavily as he walked towards his rooms. His legs felt like lead as he walked, dragging behind him.

God, he was so tired.

The weeks after his rescue had been incredibly trying. He felt drained in every way, physically, mentally, and emotionally. No matter how hard he tried to relax and shut off his mind, like he had before he had been… taken, it never worked. Just as he was about to drift off something in his mind would jolt him back to reality.

He fought and pushed himself to forget what had happened. He wanted nothing more. Visions of him torturing innocent people plagued him through the waking hours and at night, he was visited constantly by a dream where he killed Elizabeth.

Those were the worst. Most of the time he didn’t awaken straight away. Instead, after her death, he would snap out of the darkness’ control. Then he would have to deal with the fact he had killed her.

It was worse now because shortly after their return the team had focussed on trying to find Father and put a stop to him. That meant Elizabeth was away at meetings or on recon missions for days at a time. When he woke up after his nightmares and she wasn’t there beside him, he flew into a panic. Panic attacks were becoming a frequent occurrence with him. There was always a crushing pain in his chest as he tried to get his breathing under control and distil the panic overwhelming him. But it did little help.

He began to become afraid of falling asleep.

It only ever happened when Elizabeth wasn’t next to him as he slept. He would awaken and be reassured by her presence. She would continue to sleep soundly, unaware of his distress.

He hadn’t spoken to Elizabeth about any this. She was too busy working to find Father. She wanted revenge, and he did too, but it left them little time to spend together. He desperately wanted someone to share this with, and he wanted it to be Elizabeth. Roy had told her everything that had happened. She would understand.

But he never had the chance.

Something would always come up when he tried. She would be called away to another meeting or her Father would want to discuss her plan to find the bastard.

Roy wanted to help them. He wanted to put a stop to the man who had taken almost everything from him, but the team had decided against it. They said it wasn’t because they didn’t trust him, but he knew otherwise. They were still afraid of him. He could see it in their eyes.

Roy had never felt so alone.

He had confronted the group about after they had kept information from him and shared odd looks one too many times.

_“Why can’t I help?” he had asked them, his anger and frustration increasing. They were being unfair. “I think I deserve to get revenge on this bastard more than anyone!”_

_“It’s not that, it’s –”_

_“Here come the excuses,” he muttered, surprising himself. He hadn’t meant to say it, let alone think it, but it slipped out._

_“Roy,” Elizabeth admonished, her gaze hard. “You are being unfair.”_

_“No, you are being unfair,” he snapped. He could feel his anger building, threatening to overwhelm him. It was beckoning him in, telling him to give into the emotion. “I thought you of all people would understand,” he accused Elizabeth, eliciting a glare from her._

_“I do understand, but for your own well being we have decided against it,” she explained, her voice calmer than it had been before, as if she had forced herself to do so. “We want to ensure you are able to handle everything when it matters most.” She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. “Use this time to recover fully,” she urged, her eyes pleading with him._

_But his anger spiked and his frustration grew. The reasonable part of his mind realised it was getting out of control. He tried to reign his emotions in, but to no avail. They were too strong._

_He leaned forward himself, slamming his palms against the table he stood in front of. The rest of the team jumped at the sound, looking nervously between him and Elizabeth. That other part of his mind told him to stop. This was not what he wanted, them to be afraid of him. But the larger part fought against it, squashing that small voice. It all felt familiar, yet he couldn’t – or perhaps wouldn’t – recognise this feeling for what it really was._

_“If you won’t help me, I’ll get revenge myself,” he hissed._

_Maes and Edward, who stood on either side of Elizabeth, shifted their stances, readying themselves to fight, however Elizabeth remained steady in her seat. She watched him, her gaze unwavering but hard. The others around the room had stopped what they were doing, turning their full attention towards him. It was like they had all turned against him._

It was like he was being controlled by the darkness again.

_The sudden and final realisation struck him like a blow to the stomach. He straightened as regret and guilt surged, dissipating the anger and frustration he had previously felt. He snapped out of his trance like state, blinking rapidly and trying to get a hold of himself. He looked at Elizabeth. Her gaze had softened, but he saw pity in her eyes. And a tinge of fear. Maes and Edward both stood down, but stepped up to her side, ready to defend her is necessary._

What am I doing? _He thought to himself._ What _was_ that?

_Now he knew why it had all felt so familiar. The anger had threatened to overwhelm him, taking control and dominating his emotions. It had tried to draw him in, encouraged him to give in to it. And the temptation had been there. It had almost succeeded._

_It was exactly like it had been when he had been under the control of the darkness. The shadows dominated him, being a living being itself, and manifested itself in his emotions. It had constantly told him that he had been left to die by his former lover. It had continuously stressed how the attack had been Elizabeth’s plan all along. She had worked with them to get him killed, but they had other plans. The shadows had convinced him that they were the good guys and they could be trusted. That’s when the anger came._

_However, a smaller part of his mind had constantly denied these lies. It had fought the shadows, telling him the truth._

_But the darkness had made its way into his memories, altering them slightly and removing important details which should have sealed the deal, telling him the shadows were lying. But, he couldn’t remember it entirely, so he couldn’t confirm, nor deny the lies._

_In that room, as everyone had stared at him in fear, not trusting him the slightest, he realised he was acting like the monster he had once been. He had almost let his anger overwhelm him again. He straightened, feeling a sweat flush over his skin, his head throbbing. He massaged his temples, feeling the anger disappear as quickly as it had come._

_“I’m so sorry,” he whispered as he turned to leave the room. Elizabeth called him back, but he ignored her. She had every right not to trust him now. They were right to be afraid of him. He needed to stay away._

_He had been so sure the darkness had been removed from his system completely when the shadows had been destroyed. He had felt completely normal, there had been no festering shadows who whispered things in his mind anymore. He was in full control of his body._

_He had been wrong._

He shrugged off his jacket and clothes, changing quickly into his night clothes. Dragging his tired body over to the large bed, he flopped down, exhausted. Fear shot through him at the thought of what nightmare would plague him that night. He knew what it would be, but his unconscious mind always managed to come up with some kind of twist to torture him in his sleep.

He didn’t even bother to move underneath the duvet. He simply lay in place, praying he would get some much needed sleep, regardless of his futile the action was.

* * *

 

“Roy! Roy!”

A voice was calling to him in his dream. He looked down at his feet where Elizabeth lay, dying. She was calling his name, looking up at his face with pleading eyes. She gripped her throat which was bleeding profusely. Blood ran freely through her hands and onto the cold grey floor beneath them.

“Roy, please,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Terror gripped him and he fell to his knees.

“No, no, no, no,” he whispered over and over, his voice raising in volume with every word he spoke. “Riza!” he called to her, but her head had already lolled back, her eyes staring up the ceiling, unseeing. Her hands fell from her throat, revealing a wound stained black by the poison which resided inside his shadows.

He felt himself being torn apart from the inside.

He had done this.

He had _killed_ her.

“Roy!”

He bolted upright. A figure stood in front of him, hands resting on his shoulders. It was too dark to see who it was, but they were shaking him. By instinct, and through fright, he threw a ball of magical energy in their direction to get them away from him.

There was a quiet “oof” sound as they flew to the opposite side of the room. There was a crash as glass shattered when a body collided with the lamp next to one of the couches.

Roy scrambled backwards on the bed, trying to put as much distance between him and the intruder. He raised his shaking hands in defence, reading to throw another attack their way if needed.

He had visions of Father finally finding him to take him back to that _place._ He wouldn’t have it. He would fight this time. He wouldn’t go back.

As his senses returned to him he calmed down. He got his bearing as his eyes adjusted. He was in his room, still on the bed. Good. He knew his room well and could make a quick escape if necessary.

His legs quivered beneath him as he remained crouched, fatiguing quickly due to his exhaustion. He felt the sweat pouring off of him. His clothes clung to his shaking body like a second skin.

His racing thoughts were interrupted by a groan from the opposite side of the room. Roy forced his breathing to slow, to calm himself down. The figure groaned again, this time sounded incredibly familiar.

“Riza?” Roy asked quietly after a minute. There was no mistaking that voice. He hadn’t expected her to be back so soon. She had only been away two or three days – Roy had trouble keeping track of the days. The plan had been to be away for a week at least.

“What was that for?” she cried indignantly, followed by a gasp of pain.

Roy lowered his hands and immediately jumped off the bed from his crouched position. He rushed over to her, flicking his wrist to light the lamps around the door. Regret rushed through him as his eyes adjusted to the light and he saw what he had done.

There was a deep cut on her left forearm, running almost the length of it. Blood ran from the gash steadily, dripping onto the carpet below. Elizabeth’s eye were screwed shut in pain as she cradled her arm against her. As Roy approached, glass crunched under his feet, biting into his skin. He was sure it had drawn blood, but he didn’t care.

“Riza,” he choked out. “I’m so sorry!”

“It’s all right, Roy,” she quickly reassured him. “It’s only –” She hissed in pain as she tried to move her arm.

Guilt ate at him as he watched. He hadn’t intended to hurt her. He didn’t even know it was her when he woke! But, yet again, he had hurt her.

He was useless.

He supported her right arm and helped her stand, escorting her over to the fireplace. Without effort he turned the fire on, providing warmth to the cool room.

“I’ll get some bandages,” he stuttered, rushing out of the room. Elizabeth called after him, but he was too lost in his own spiral of guilt to notice.

 _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_ He scolded himself continuously as he reached a small cupboard in the hallway. Both he and Elizabeth had stashed extra medical supplies here in case they were needed. He grabbed a handful and ran back to her.

“Riza, I’m so sorry,” he repeated as he approached her with the bandages.

“Roy, don’t –” she began softly, no doubt telling him not to worry about it. “It was an accident,” she would say. But he should have known. He should have been more careful.

“Don’t tell me it is okay,” he snapped. He heaved a sigh, pausing in his movements. He ran a hand over his face, trying to wipe away the exhaustion he felt. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap.”

Elizabeth was silent as he worked on cleaning the wound. Roy had picked up tweezers and set to work removing the glass from her arm. She watched as he worked, removing the pieces methodically. He tried to stop his hands from shaking, but he couldn’t. After the third time she had hissed in pain after he had poked her in the wrong place he threw them down on the table in frustration.

He placed his hands over his face. He had never felt so damn _useless._

“Roy?” Elizabeth asked quietly. When his hands didn’t move – he felt too ashamed to face her. No matter how hard he tried, he continued to hurt her. He had sworn he would never do it again, but he continued to break that promise. He was fucking useless. He should just leave and never come back, it would be for the best –

“Roy,” Elizabeth said more firmly this time. She gently took his hands in hers, lowering them from his face. She gasped as his sad and tired gaze met hers. No doubt surprised at how shit he looked. He certainly felt like it anyway.

Instead of pulling away like he had expected, she remained still, giving his hands a squeeze in comfort.

“What’s wrong?” she asked softly.

Roy finally looked away, staring into the fire. It had cast a lovely glow over her features, giving her an almost ethereal look. _God she looks so beautiful._ He shook that thought from his mind. After everything he had done he didn’t deserve her.

“I –” he started, but stopped short. He swallowed, wetting his suddenly dry throat. He didn’t know where to start. This was what he had wanted, to finally get some time to tell Elizabeth everything that was happening with him. He had wanted – no needed – someone to confide in for so long, but now it was here he didn’t want to admit his true feelings.

It made him feel too useless, too weak.

If he felt this way then he couldn’t protect her the way he should be.

“Tell me,” she urged softly, with a smile.

So, he took a deep breath, and finally did so.


	2. Regret - Part 2

**ROY**

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Elizabeth asked sadly. They were currently still on the same couch Roy had led her too to fix up her arm. However, as Roy had told her more about his nightmares and everything that had happened over the past few weeks she had moved to sit on the coffee table. She had gripped his hands tightly, facing him directly as he explained everything. Roy had noticed tears falling down her cheeks as he recounted how he had felt during their first and only meeting about finding Father.

He had wanted nothing more than to envelop her in his arms, wiping away her tears, but he didn’t deserve too.

Roy shrugged, struggling to come up with an answer. “I thought about it every day. I wanted to, but you were so busy. And that’s not your fault,” he added quickly. “Not at all. I just… Didn’t want to bother you. I thought I could handle it,” he said quietly, lowering his gaze. “Evidently not.”

“Roy, I feel like I must apologise.” He opened his mouth to protest, his gaze snapping back up to hers. She had nothing to apologise for. “Hear me out. I fought and fought to get you back,” she began. “And once I did get you back, I essentially abandoned you to find Father. I swore to you I would help you get through this, but I have done nothing of the sort. And for that, I must apologise.

“I promise that from now,” she swore to him, gripping his hands tightly. “I will step down from leading the search for Father.”

“Please don’t do that,” Roy begged her. “Not for me. He needs to be stopped –”

“The search will continue,” she reassured him. “My Father will take over. He will understand.” She paused, her expression turning to a frown. “He has actually pushed me to step down to spend more time with you and to get some rest to recover from the poison.” Roy flinched at the mention of it. Elizabeth noticed and squeezed his hands.

“Don’t worry, it is all out of my system. I’ve just been pushing myself too hard these past few weeks and it is all catching up.” She stood from her current seat on the table and sat next to Roy on the couch. She lay her head on his shoulder, keeping a tight hold of his hands.

“I just wished I had listened to him sooner,” she whispered. “He told me something wasn’t right with you, but I was so focussed on revenge for what Father had done to you that I was blinded by it.”

“I kept my distance,” Roy added. “After that day in the meeting room. Everyone, including you, looked at me with fear and it crushed me once I snapped out of it.” He heard and felt Elizabeth sigh against him. “I didn’t want to bother you and I didn’t want to see their faces filled with fear, knowing I caused it. I was a monster, so I guess it was only natural.”

“Don’t call yourself that,” Elizabeth cut him off. “You are _not_ a monster.” Her voice was firm and left no room for arguments.

“I saw my eyes after that meeting. They were black, like they had been when I was under control of the darkness.”

“That doesn’t mean you are a monster now.” She sat up, fixing her gaze on his. “Please don’t think of yourself that way,” she begged.

He looked into her eyes, seeing the pain held within. She was visibly upset that he referred to himself in that way. _Well, when the shoe fits –_

Roy cut his thought off shaking his head, trying to rid it for good. Thinking like that would get him nowhere. He needed to stop.

“I won’t,” he told her. “Not anymore. Not if it upsets you.”

Elizabeth nodded. “Thank you. You are Roy Mustang. Nothing more, nothing less. Don’t _ever_ forget that.” She took her place, resting against his shoulder again. She gripped his bicep tightly, hugging into his arm.

For the first time in a long time, he felt a laugh bubble in his throat. It felt odd to laugh again. But welcome. “That makes me sound so boring,” he commented.

“Good,” Elizabeth replied, but he could pick out the amused tone in her voice. “The more boring the better.”

Roy huffed in amusement, suddenly feeling very grateful for the woman sitting beside him.

Elizabeth made no move to stand and move to the bed and neither did Roy. It was late, the middle of the night actually. They should be asleep in bed, but neither wanted to move.

Roy had a lot to work through still, but he felt lighter after getting everything off his chest. It was like a weight which had been crushing his chest had been lifted. He turned his head slightly to look down at the woman who was hugging his arm tightly. He shouldn’t feel the way he did, he didn’t deserve to after the things he had done, but he loved her so much.

Things had been rocky since he had returned, but she remained a constant in his life. Even when he had kept his distance and pushed her away, she still returned to sleep in the same bed as him. She had shown fear in that meeting room – a memory Roy continually tried to forget, but it had been burned into his memory – yet still returned to him each night.

She was incredible, no doubt about it.

He didn’t deserve her.

He rested his exhausted body against the back of the couch, getting himself comfortable. He gripped her hand tightly as he drifted off to sleep, feeling Elizabeth faintly squeeze back. For the first time since he had returned, he had a dreamless sleep.


	3. Practice

**ELIZABETH**

“What happened? Where is she?” Elizabeth called to anyone who was listening as she rushed into the Healing Room. Panic welled inside her as she caught sight of her daughter being wheeled through a set of doors. Fear gripped her heart as she noticed how still she was.

Elizabeth took a step forward, but spotted her husband entering the same through, following behind their daughter.

“Roy!” she called over the din and commotion in the room. Healers rushed around her as they prepared to care for her daughter and Havoc, who was wheeled through the doors on a bed in a similar state.

Roy’s eyes met her instantly, as she watched as they widened in panic, showing a hint of fear.

“What happened?” she asked as she approached. “Why is Riza unconscious?” Elizabeth watched as he swallowed, clearly choosing his next words carefully. “Roy,” she begged, grasping his hands tightly. “Please, tell me.”

“I… I don’t know what happened.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?” Elizabeth frowned.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged helplessly. “She went off on her own and –”

Anger flashed through her. “You were supposed to watch her!”

Roy’s gaze hardened after Elizabeth’s outburst. “I _did_ watch her,” he replied defensively. “I awoke one morning to a powerful surge in magical energy. I noticed both she and Havoc were gone from our camp and ran to find her. They were both lying unconscious, but unharmed a few hundred feet away from the camp.”

“What –”

“Your Highness,” a Healer interrupted them. “I apologise for the interruption. We have taken your daughter and Lord Havoc to perform a few tests. From our primary observations it appears they are completely unharmed. It is as if they are simply asleep. We will keep a close eye on them and report any news back to you.”

“Thank you,” Roy replied. The Healer nodded and left them in the middle of the busy room.

“You said there was a surge in magical energy,” Elizabeth began as she walked towards the room Riza occupied. She knew the rules. She knew that she should remain in the waiting room while the Healers worked with their daughter, but she doubted anyone would dare stop her. “Was it Riza?”

“I think so,” Roy replied, falling into step beside her. “Havoc isn’t that skilled in magic to create such a burst of energy. She has come a long way in her training, but she has never created a wave so strong before.”

Elizabeth nodded, processing this information. The pair slowed as they reached their daughter’s room. Through the small window in the door she could make out activity as the Healers moved around the room, but she made no move to go inside. That wouldn’t help her daughter right now. Instead, she leaned heavily against the wall opposite. Elizabeth ran her hands over her face. She tried to wipe away her worry and fear. Once news of Riza’s state had reached her, her first thought had been that Father had finally returned to seek revenge. She had almost had a panic attack in front of the messenger.

Roy had taken Riza out into the forest for some training. Both Fuery and Havoc had accompanied them, acting as bodyguards for both the King and his daughter.

Riza had shown a certain affinity for water magic. The fountains within the castle were becoming too small for her to practice spells which would do damage and also help her defend herself. Roy had suggested taking her out into the forests to the lakes so she could truly work with the water. Elizabeth hadn’t liked the idea at first, but Riza had been so excited by the idea, it wouldn’t be fair for her to hold Riza back due to her own fear. She knew Roy could protect her himself, but she ordered Fuery and Havoc to go with them to ease her own mind.

Now, two members of the party had returned unconscious, with the other two not knowing why or how it happened.

“Why weren’t you with her?” Elizabeth muttered quietly. As the words left her mouth, she realised she had said them out loud. Before she could apologise, Roy interjected.

“I was asleep!” he snapped. “She went off on her own. You know what she is like.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to come out that way,” she replied miserably, closing her eyes. _If I wish hard enough, this can all be a dream._

She heard Roy sigh next to her as he too leaned against the wall. She shuffled closer to him, needing his comfort more than ever. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, kissing the top of her head as she leaned it against his shoulder.

“The Healers say she will be all right. She had no injuries, I checked myself. She is simply… Asleep.”

“Is Havoc the same?”

Roy nodded. “Yes.”

“Your Highness,” Maes greeted apologetically as he approached them.

“Maes, you know not to call us that,” Elizabeth replied wearily.

“I’m sorry, but I am coming on an official capacity.” Both Roy and Elizabeth straightened, standing to listen to their advisor. “The Lords and Ladies are demanding an audience about the land issues that were discussed yesterday. I tried to hold them off, but they are refusing to be put off any longer.”

Elizabeth sighed heavily, straightening her clothes. She really did not have the energy for this right now. _The Lords and Ladies can shove their petty issues up their –_

“I’ll go,” Roy told her. “You stay here with Riza. Just… Tell me when she wakes up?”

Elizabeth nodded, kissing him quickly as a thank you before he left.

“Sorry to drag you away,” Maes apologised again as the pair retreated from view.

“Don’t worry about it Maes, it is not your fault. I just wish I could go out there and tell them where they can shoe their land issues…”

Elizabeth felt a laugh bubble in her chest as Roy’s reply echoed her earlier thoughts. But it never reached the surface.

She didn’t want him to leave. She needed him for support. If the Healers came out that door and told her something terrible she would need him. She would just have to hope and pray to the Gods for good news.

* * *

When the Healers had finally left Riza’s room they hadn’t offered her any new information. She was completely injury free and was simply unconscious. She was sleeping, likely the result of a spell that had been cast. Elizabeth just hoped the person casting the spell had no malicious intent. Havoc was in the same boat. Totally fine, he was just sleeping. They would have to wait until they both awoke to find out what had happened.

She crept into her daughter’s room and felt tears well in her eyes at the sight of her daughter in an infirmary bed. She had hoped this would never be the case. She had sworn she would protect her at all costs so this would never happen.

But no, she had elected to remain at the castle to attempt to resolve a land dispute between the Lords and Ladies of the kingdom.

If only she had been there…

Elizabeth shook the thought from her head. She pulled a chair quietly over to Riza’s bedside, grasping her hand.

No, Roy was more than capable of protecting Riza. So were Fuery and Havoc. She wouldn’t have let them leave if she hadn’t thought so. Roy was her Father and Elizabeth knew if there had been a serious incident, he would have fought to protect her.

“Mother?” Riza asked sleepily. Elizabeth had been so lost in thought she didn’t notice her daughter stir. Relief surged through her at seeing her awake. A smile graced her lips as she squeezed Riza’s hand.

“Oh, thank goodness your awake.” She stood from her chair, enveloping Riza in a hug.

“Mother, what –?” Elizabeth felt Riza freeze in her arms.

“Riza?” she asked worriedly, pulling away to examine her face. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

She sat up in her bed, wringing her hands together. “Where’s Dad?”

“He had to leave to attend to proceedings in the Main Hall. Why?” Riza bit her lip, a sign she was worried.

“Okay, please don’t be mad at him,” she gushed suddenly. “None of this was his fault. I went off on my own. We had been training hard and Dad looked exhausted. I wanted to surprise him with breakfast so I left the camp early one morning to find some food. I had searched for ages but turned up nothing. Every time I made a move they all seemed to run –”

“Riza.” Elizabeth tried to stop her daughter babbling. She could see Riza getting more and more worked up as she continued to speak.

“So I thought I would try out a new spell Fuery had taught me. It was a sleeping spell. I concentrated but couldn’t get it to work like I had before. In fact, I couldn’t cast any spell for a short time.”

“Riza.”

“I got more and more frustrated and finally let all the frustration out in a final attempt to cast the sleeping spell. It finally worked, and I was happy. I turned to look for any game and saw Havoc, then felt extremely tired. That’s the last think I remember. Wait!” she cried suddenly, her eyes finally meeting her mother’s. “Where is Havoc? Is he okay?”

“Riza,” Elizabeth spoke firmly, resting her hands on her shoulders in an effort to grab her attention. Finally, Riza stopped talking and looked at her mother.

“Havoc is all right. No injuries, just asleep. I am not mad at your Father. I was to begin with, but that was due to my worry. I know he would never intentionally let you get hurt.”

Riza’s body sagged under Elizabeth’s hands and she flopped back down on to the bed.

“Thank goodness they are both okay.”

“Riza, you know you shouldn’t practice new spells without supervision.” Elizabeth loathed to lecture her daughter, so soften her tone. That wouldn’t help at a time like this.

“I know, I just… I wanted to do something nice for him. He worried about me a lot. I know you both do.” She matched Elizabeth’s gaze, daring her to deny her claim. “I can see it when you watch me train. I know why Dad pushes m so hard in training. You are both afraid of something that is coming, aren’t you?”

Elizabeth was initially too shocked to reply. She hadn’t realised how perceptive her daughter had become. Elizabeth didn’t know why. Riza was sixteen now and was able to pick up on things easily.

They had both agreed not to tell Riza about everything that had happened with Father. They would wait until she was old enough, not wanting to scare her while she was young. Elizabeth feared now was the time to tell her. Feared it, because it was a dark time in both their lives, but the threat still remained. They had yet to bring Father to justice. The team had hoped Riza would be left out of this fight, it wasn’t hers after all, but the older she got, they all knew she would demand to fight alongside them. Just like Elicia did now, much to her Father’s dismay.

“Yes, we do fear something.” Elizabeth replied after some time. Riza’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, not expecting the answer. “But now is not the time for that story.”

“But –” Riza began to protest.

“We will tell you, I promise. But your Father and I will do it together.”

Riza nodded, picking up on the seriousness of her Mother’s tone. She knew not to push the subject any further.

“I will go and send for your Father. He was worried sick when he brought you in.”

“Sorry,” Riza replied sheepishly. “It was an accident.”

“I know, dear. Just hang tight. I will be back soon.” Riza nodded and lay back in her bed.

Elizabeth closed the door, closing her eyes to collect her thoughts. She couldn’t believe her daughter was old enough that they would need to discuss everything that had happened with Father. She didn’t want to revisit it. She wanted the whole thing forgotten. For Roy’s sake, more than anything. He was strong now, and had been for many years, but he didn’t need reminded of that time. However, for long as Father was out there hiding, it would continue to return to haunt them both.

She released her grip on the door handle and made her way to the Main Hall.


	4. Training - Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is probably my favourite so far and I ain't even ashamed. Sorry Roy ;)

**RIZA**

“Concentrate.” Her Grandfather spoke quietly, but his voice held authority. It was not unkind, just simply a reminder. It was something Riza had trouble with, her concentration. There always seemed to be something which would distract her and the temptation could be too much to ignore sometimes. She was aware of this, but she had promised she would try her best to get better at it. That was why her parents had allowed her to begin her training.

Fighting had always fascinated her. She would watch the soldiers train in the yard most days. Running around the castle had gotten boring, now Elicia was always busy. Her friend had begun her own training now that she was sixteen. Riza was only ten. Her Father had taught her the basics of sword fighting and spells, but she was desperate to learn more.

Elicia had never been interested in learning sword play when she was younger, but now she had reached sixteen, that was all she was interested in. Riza had also noticed a change in her friend. She had become more serious and never wanted to play with Riza anymore. Riza had spoken to her parents about it, but they had simply shared an odd look and tiptoed around the subject.

It had bothered her greatly.

So she pestered them until they gave in and let her begin her proper training.

“It will take a lot of hard work, Riza,” her Mother had warned her.

“You will need to concentrate and study hard,” her Father chipped in.

Riza could tell they were trying to turn her off the subject, but she was determined.

“I want to do it! Nothing is fun anymore. I want to learn.”

Riza had eventually worn them down and they had agreed, so long as she focussed and put the effort in.

“Ignore everything around you,” her Grandfather continued. “Your sole task is to protect this front. You are your Father’s back up, all right? His success and wellbeing depends on you. Do you understand?”

Riza swallowed. _This is a lot of responsibility_. But she was determined to learn and succeed. She gripped the hilt of her metal sword tighter. It was still slightly too heavy for her and it banged against her thigh. She readied her stance, just like her Grandfather had taught her. She concentrated on visualising water in front of her, asking for its assistance should the need arise.

“Begin.”

“Riza? Make sure you keep an eye on the treeline. You don’t know what could be hiding in there,” her Father called from behind her. Their “treeline” was a row of bushes in front of her. She made a mental note of his advice though.

 She heard movement as he began to work. Her Grandfather had constructed a box which could only be opened with magic. Their mission had been to locate it within the castle grounds and obtain the contents inside.

Her Grandfather moved to watch the front alongside her. Her Father hummed cheerfully as he worked behind them.

His humming continued for a few more minutes as he worked. Riza remained steadfast in her watch, copying her Grandfather beside her. She didn’t want to let him down. She didn’t want to let anyone down. She gripped her sword tighter, concentrating so hard on the “treeline” that her vision began to blur.

Her vision quickly snapped back to focus when she heard the tell-tale sound of an arrow being loosed. Before she could react she heard her Father cry out in pain. She jumped in fright.

“Arrows!” her Grandfather cried, readying himself for a fight. “Get ready, Riza! Get ready to fight!”

She was in mid turn when his words stop her. She was torn. She needed to see her Father. He was hurt! He needed her help. However, she needed to protect him now if he was injured. She needed to stop the incoming threat.

Another arrow whipped by her head. She felt the air brush by her cheek. Her Father cried out again.

Riza grit her teeth, forcing herself to turn back facing forwards. She raised her sword, adrenaline coursing through her. Everything screamed at her to turn around and help her Father. She felt tears welling in her eyes as he panted in pain. She heard a thump as his body hit the ground. She closed her eyes tightly, forcing the terrible images out of her head. She needed to help him.

“Remain calm, Riza,” her Grandfather said quietly. “He needs you to fight now. Protect your Father at all costs.”

She didn’t hear anything move past her the third time he cried out. It became too much.

“Stop it!” Riza cried. She dropped her sword in an instant and raced to her Father who now lay a few feet away. “Stop hurting him!” Tears fell freely down her cheeks and she reached Roy’s side. He lay on the ground, blood seeping out of him from two wounds, one in his side, the other in his thigh. He looked towards her, panic clear in his gaze.

“Riza,” he coughed, wincing at the pain the movement caused in his side.

“Dad! Dad please get up,” she cried. Fear gripped her heart at the sight of him. He was pale. So very pale. “Dad!” she screamed, terrified.

“Stop.” Her Grandfather spoke calmly. “That’s enough for today.” He straightened up, clasping his hands behind his back as he turned to face the pair.

 _Enough for the day? What?_ Riza gasped as the blood shimmered then disappeared from the ground in front of her. The colour reappeared in Roy’s face. He sat up, patting his body and checking his injuries. They were gone.

“What –” Riza began, her fear giving way to confusion.

“What the hell, Berthold?” Roy yelled. He leaped to his feet, storming over to her Grandfather. “What the hell was that?”

He was angry. Riza had never seen him this angry before. Not even when she had knocked over the candlestick in the library while practicing magic and almost burned the place down. Her hands, which has previously shook with worry and fear, now hung limp by her side. Her tears remained, falling steadily. She was so shocked her body didn’t know what to do.

“Training,” he said, simply.

“That was not training,” Roy fumed. “That was something else entirely.”

“This is the reality of battle and you know it.”

“She is only ten years old!”

“So… What? We are supposed to pretend everything is sunshine and roses and there is nothing bad in the world?”

“She was not ready for this,” he hissed.

“When will she be? Hm?”

“It is not up to you to decide when she is ready or not.” He turned on his heel, furious. He strode over to Riza, who remained on the ground, still trying to comprehend what had just happened. _Dad is all right now? How is that possible?_

He watched her worriedly as he approached. “Riza?” he asked cautiously, examining her face. “Are you all right?”

“I don’t understand… You were bleeding and…” Her voice caught in her throat, tears rising to the surface again as she remembered her Father’s previous state only moments ago. She tried to hold them back, but she couldn’t.

Roy pulled her tightly against him. She clung to him for dear life, grasping him, trying to convince her mind that he really was okay.

Convincing herself that he wasn’t going to die.

“I’m all right. It was just magic,” he whispered quietly, trying to soothe his distraught daughter.

“Riza,” her Grandfather began quietly. She could hear the sorrow in his voice.

But he had hurt her Father. She didn’t want to see him.

Riza buried her face in her Father’s shirt. She felt herself being lifted off the ground as Roy carried her back to the castle.

“Hi you two…,” she heard her Mother greet them cheerfuly, but the sentence drifted off. She had clearly seen how upset Riza was. “What happened?” The fear in her voice was apparent.

“Your Father. That’s what happened.”

“What do you mean? You were training…”

“Why don’t you go and ask him? If I talk to him right now the conversation will be… unpleasant, to say the least.” Roy’s voice was hard and sharp. Riza had never heard it like that before.

Elizabeth’s jaw set as she nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

“I’ll meet you both in a while.”

When Riza looked up, her vision blurring through the tears, she saw her Mother storming away from them, heading back into the gardens they had just left.

“Where is Mother going?” Riza asked, wiping her eyes. Her heart continued to constrict every time _that_ image popped into her mind.

“She is going to face your Grandfather.” Roy snorted. “Good luck to him,” he muttered quietly. “Come on, let’s go to your room.” Riza nodded, resting her head against her Father’s shoulder. She felt exhausted. She continued to force down the tears and remove the image of her Father dying from her mind.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t do it.


	5. Training - Part 2

**ROY**

Roy stood as Elizabeth entered Riza’s room.

Roy had eventually gotten her to calm down and sleep. Her tears had continued for about an hour, and understandably so. He promised her he wouldn’t leave her side. The poor girl had watched her Father almost die. He wouldn’t have left her side, even if she hadn’t asked him.

“How did it go?” Roy asked quietly.

Elizabeth closed the door quietly with a sigh. She approached the arm chair beside Riza’s bed, where Roy had sat for the last hour.

“I understand why he did it,” she said quietly, watching their daughter.

Anger spiked within Roy. _She couldn’t be serious?_

“ _What?_ ” he hissed. “How could you even say that? Riza watched me almost die before her and you’re okay with it?” His voice rose uncontrollably. Riza stirred in her sleep and whimpered. The noise silenced him.

“No, I’m not _okay_ with it. How could you even ask that?” Her gaze turned hard as she looked at him. His anger simmered as he remembered she had gone through the same experience. “I said I understand, not that I was happy with it.” Elizabeth sat in her chair, turning away from Roy, and lightly grasped her sleeping daughter’s hand. “He went through the same training routine with me when I was six.”

Roy looked at her in surprise. “When you were _six_?” Elizabeth nodded. “How come you never told me?”

Elizabeth shrugged. “I don’t know. It wasn’t something I liked to talk about when I was young.”

Roy waited for her to continue, if she even would. He couldn’t believe she had gone through the same when she was even younger than Riza. He could understand teaching children about the world, and that it wasn’t “all sunshine and roses”, but this method took it too far.

“It was my mother,” Elizabeth continued softly. “I couldn’t stand there and let her die, so I ran to her side, like Riza did with you. But…” she trailed off, taking a deep breath. “The so called “attack” continued and I was hit by an arrow myself.” Elizabeth looked up at Roy for the first time entering. His jaw set in anger at what she had to go through. It wasn’t right.

“I was all right, it was just magic, but it felt so real.”

“Riza, I’m so sorry.” He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. She smiled in thanks.

“I thought he might do it again with little Riza. I begged him not to when she was younger. I remember the terror of it and didn’t want her to go though it at such a young age. But I understand the training is necessary because it taught me that as a soldier I need to maintain my post, no matter what the cost.”

Roy still wasn’t happy with this method of training, but he could see its point. He still didn’t agree with it.

“I’m not happy with it,” Roy stated.

“I understand, but it was effective.”

“I don’t care,” he replied sharply.

“Roy, we can’t protect her forever. She needs to learn–”

“I don’t _care_ ,” he repeated, his gaze hard. He didn’t want to hear anything more about it. His little girl didn’t need to see him lying on the floor dying. No child should witness that. He should know.


	6. The Aftermath

**ROY**

Roy sat stiffly in the cart as they rode back to the castle. Elizabeth had passed out a few minutes ago, finally succumbing to her exhaustion. He stole a glance towards her, although he knew he didn’t deserve to. She was a good person who didn’t deserve to be paired with a monster.

He shifted away from her, closer to the edge of the cart. He didn’t want to hurt her anymore.

Looking out at the land before him, he felt a striking familiarity with it. Before his… capture, he had never travelled this far north before. He and the team remained with Elizabeth. Where she went, they went. There was no need to come this far north, as it was mainly wilderness. There were old ruins from centuries ago, but apart from that people tended to avoid the area due to the bad energy. Now he knew the real reason for that energy, it made him sick to his stomach.

He had been a part of that. At times, it felt as if he was in a dream. His body was moving, doing these terrible things, but he could do nothing to stop it or alter its course. Other times, he had be conscious, but there was something within him that was moving his body for him. It was as if he was simply a passenger within his own body, watching someone else with the reigns.

The things he had seen and done… It would haunt him for the rest of his life.

“You all right there, son?” Berthold asked from his horse. Roy jumped, startled. He had been so lost in his terrible memories that he hadn’t even heard him approach. Immediately averting his gaze from his adoptive father, he looked down at his bound hands. He was too ashamed to face him.

Berthold had referred to him as “son”. That word stabbed a knife in his heart. Roy had been anything but. He had tried to kill the man’s daughter and his wife. How could he still show him any courtesy at all? He could be thrown in a dungeon and left to rot. Berthold shouldn’t even be addressing him at all.

Roy didn’t even answer the King. When Berthold realised he wasn’t going to answer, he sighed lightly.

“Listen, Elizabeth has explained to myself and Amelia everything that has transpired these past few months. We know you are not to blame.” Berthold’s voice was low so the other riders wouldn’t overhear their conversation. “I cannot begin to fathom what you have gone through. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to help. For your own sake, I hope you the up the offer.”

Tears sprung to Roy’s eyes as Berthold spoke. He let them flow freely, not bothering to wipe them away. His time with Father had already wiped away any dignity and pride he had. What did he care now if someone saw him cry?

“Please, Roy,” Berthold begged. “Say something.” The man was desperate. _Probably for his daughter’s sake, more than mine._

“There is nothing to say. I have done enough.” His words were final. Berthold sighed and rode to the front of the group.

Roy’s gaze returned to his hands.

“He’s right you know,” a strained voice spoke. Roy, fearful to look up and face Havoc, raised his gaze halfway. He didn’t want to see the fear, disgust, and disappointment in his eyes. He had let them all down. “For your own sake, we hope you do too.”

Havoc said nothing more on the matter. He lay back on the cart and closed his eyes.

Roy felt his heart clench at his old friend’s words. He didn’t deserve them. They had no idea what had _really_ happened while he had been under the control of that _thing_. If they did, they would have left him Father’s complex and never turned back.

As the company pulled into the main courtyard Roy kept his eyes and his head down. He heard gasps as they passed, no doubt at the state of him. Had they heard of his atrocities? Were they afraid of him now?

 _Good…_ A voice whispered in his head. _Let them be afraid._

Shaking his head vigorously, he banished the voice. The same voice that had followed him for the past few months. Fear spiked through him. Both Elizabeth and this Roy from another world had destroyed the shadows. As soon as Roy destroyed the last set it felt as if the fog had lifted from his mind. The pressure which had been a constant companion to his brain was gone. The pain had been excruciating, Roy had almost passed out, but he was sure it was gone. It was definitely gone, _wasn’t it_?

“Roy, are you all right?” Berthold asked, his face concerned and slightly alarmed. It was then Roy realised he was panicking.

Searching frantically for an escape, he tried to vault out of the cart, only for his leg to get caught. Tumbling to the hard ground, the voice in his head cackled wildly.

Shaking his head frantically, Roy rose his hands to his head, clutching it tightly. Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, he blocked out the confused and alarmed shouts from the others. Berthold called his name continuously, trying to get through to him, but to no avail.

“Shut up,” he hissed to the voice as its laughter continued. _It’s happening again._

Something pierced his arm and he hissed in pain, rising into a crouch. He snarled, eyes narrowing at his attacker. Instead, he saw Berthold and Hughes, the latter holding one of the Healer’s instruments. It was one they used to inject medicine into patient’s veins.

Once again, Roy felt the control of his body slipping away as he ready to pounce on Hughes. However, before he could move he felt himself go limp, the fight leaving him in an instant. Hands descended on him as he lost consciousness. Half of him felt angry towards Hughes. The voice shrieked in his mind, however it sounded far away and more subdued than it had been previously. The other half, wanted to thank Maes profusely for giving him a reprieve. He couldn’t go back to the way he was under Father’s control. He couldn’t. 

* * *

Roy’s eyes opened and the first thing he noticed was he was in the infirmary. His limbs felt stiff as if he had been lying still for some time. He shifted slightly, testing his limbs. There was a slight soreness to them, but nothing he hadn’t experienced before after a hard training session.

“Oh Roy,” Amelia gushed as she entered the room suddenly. Tears were in her eyes as she smiled on her approach. She reached out to hug him, but he flinched from her touch. The Queen’s face fell slightly, her smile wavering, however she never let it fade. It surprised Roy to no end. He had tried to _kill_ her. She shouldn’t happy to see him. “I am so glad you are awake. How are you feeling?”

Opening his mouth to speak, he found it dry. “I’m all right,” he croaked. Amelia was up in an instant and offered him a glass of water. Roy shook his head no, however Amelia was having none of it.

“You need to drink, Roy,” she told him sternly. Suddenly he was a child again being told off for not eating his vegetables. Amelia’s hand remained in front of his face with the glass.

Huffing in annoyed acceptance, he accepted the glass from her. “I know where Riza gets her stubbornness from,” he muttered darkly. Realising what he said, his eyes widened to the size of saucers. He had never spoken to the Queen so casually before. Sure, Berthold and Amelia had adopted him from a young age, but he still wasn’t their son. He would always regard them with the utmost respect because, in the end, they were still his King and Queen, no matter what relationship he had with their daughter.

Expecting to find a glare gracing Amelia’s face, he looked up fearfully. However, there was a wide grin on her face. She was definitely surprised, but happy.

“I am so sorry Your Majesty,” he stuttered, sitting up in his bed earnestly. “I did not mean anything by it, I…” Roy wasn’t sure how to continue. He didn’t know what had overcome him.

Amelia simply laughed. “Oh Roy, do not fret,” she grinned. Her grin faded to a fond smile as she regarded him. She was simply happy he was home with them.

If Amelia was being honest, his comment had surprised her. She had noticed throughout the years that Roy had always conversed with them formally. While both Berthold and Amelia appreciated it, they wished for a closer relationship with their future son-in-law.

They had both known for years that Elizabeth would choose Roy as a husband. They were inseparable as children and even more so as teenagers. They were evenly matched in whit and stubbornness. In short, they were perfect for each other.

“Do not feel the need to speak to me so formally,” she reminded him for the thousandth time. “You are my son-in-law. Forget about titles.”

Roy sat in stunned silence. Everyone continued to surprise him today. He had expected hate, harsh words, punishment… They were what he deserved. But they never came. Everyone treated him with kindness and some with sympathy. In a way, it was worse. Because he _knew_ he didn’t deserve their kindness. He had done so many terrible things under the control of Father that even thinking about it now made him want to vomit. He wanted to be punished. He needed to be.

“If I may be so bold, can I ask something of you, Your Highness?”

“Of course, Roy,” Amelia encouraged with a smile.

“Could you escort me to the dungeons? I would like to be confined there for my crimes.”

Amelia’s smile vanished.

“Roy,” she began, struggling to find the right words. “We have decided that there is to be no punishment against you. We –”

“Well, there should be,” he retorted, angrily.

“Roy, listen,” Amelia continued softly. “You were not in control of your body. It wasn’t your fault –”

“Yes it was,” he hissed dangerously, glaring at the Queen.

She leaned back in fright. In truth, she hadn’t expected his harsh tone.

_Yes… Make her frightened of you. You deserve to be feared, Roy Mustang._

The sound of that voice was like a slap in the face. Roy sat up, his back ramrod straight.

“I am so sorry,” he uttered fearfully. _Not again._ “I am _so_ sorry.”

Repeating the phrase over again, Roy brought his hands to his head, closing his eyes in fear.

_Not again._

“Roy.” Amelia’s voice was stern in an effort to regain his attention. His head raised fearfully. Looking into his eyes, she could see how troubled he really was. He needed help. The only person who could help him was lying unconscious in the next room.

He needed Elizabeth, not a prison cell.

“If that is what you wish, I will take you there. However, just so we are clear, this is on your own terms. I do _not_ want you in there. Wait for Elizabeth to awaken. Talk it through with her –”

Roy’s face was stricken at the mention of her name. He shook his head. “No, I must bear this punishment. This is what I deserve.” He threw the sheet of his body and climbed out of the bed. Making his way to the door, he heard Amelia sigh.

“What you think you deserve and what you need, Roy, are two very different things.”

Roy paused in the doorway as she spoke. Unsure of how to answer, he simply nodded and continued on his way.


	7. Late Night Conversation

**ROY**

The nursery was silent as the moonlight poured in through the window. Even the rocking chair was oiled enough that the squeak from the movement didn’t permeate the room.  Looking out, the figure admired the now snow covered landscape. Where dark, snow clouds had filled the sky earlier on in the evening, the sky was now bare, giving the man a clear view of the stars. They twinkled brightly, casting a carpet of light across the night sky.

A fussing child lay on his arms, choosing that moment to make a sound and disturbing the silence. Not that the figure minded at all. Gazing down at the bundle in his arms he was in awe. That was the case every day. Seeing her eyes open and take in the world around her, completely unaware of the horrors that lay outside the castle walls, made him want to protect her at all costs. Even at the expense of his own life.

He had never felt so much love for someone before, besides the child’s mother. Growing up he hadn’t truly appreciated family until it was snatched away from him. Then he was taken in by the King and Queen. At first he had been terrified. It was daunting simply _meeting_ royalty, never mind living under the same roof as them. For the first month it must have appeared he was walking with a stick strapped to his spine, he was that tense. Thinking back now, he chuckled at the memory.

It was Elizabeth, his Riza, who had drawn him out his shell. It had already been a terrible time for him, due to the loss of his parents, but over the course of a few months the girl had brought a smile to his face more than once. She was incredible. Didn’t take any of his shit and gave back as good as she got. The girl had always been fond of teasing him. He had become irritated at first, eventually snapping at the girl. The Queen had been witness to the exchange and Roy had never felt so scared in his short life. Expecting a scolding or a banishment from the kingdom for shouting at the Princess, he hung his head in shame. Instead, the Queen laughed at the shocked expression on her daughter’s face due to the unexpected retaliation. Apparently “it was about time he stuck up for himself”. The Queen simply grinned and went on her way.

That opened up a whole new side of their relationship. They bickered as children do, much to the amused irritation of the King. The Queen however simply watched with knowing eyes and a grin, as if she had known back then that they were destined to be together. Roy remembered a young Jean Havoc boasting about how a boy teases a girl when he _likes_ her. Roy had been disgusted. Him? Like _Elizabeth_? That had been out of the question.

His child’s mind didn’t want to admit it, but it was the truth.

“What are you doing up?” a soft voice asked him from the doorway. “I thought it was my turn?” she smiled.

Tearing his gaze away from his daughter, Roy’s eyes picked out Elizabeth’s form in the darkness. One hand gripped the frame at head height and she leaned against it, a smile on her lips.

“She was fussing and I couldn’t sleep.”

Pushing off the door, Elizabeth padded into Riza’s nursery. She too found her eyes drawn to her daughter. Wrapping an arm around Roy’s shoulders, the pair returned their gaze to the miracle in front of them.

“Bad dreams?” Elizabeth asked casually, but there was an underlying current of fear.

It had been three years since he had returned to her. The nightmares that had plagued him took a while to disappear. Every now and again it would resurface, but Elizabeth was ready and by his side through it all.

“Yes,” Roy admitted. He loathed to worry her but he couldn’t lie. Not to her.

The hand on his shoulder tensed in response.

It was one dream in particular that had become more frequent as of late. Ever since little Riza was born. He supposed it was one every parent had about their child. However every parent did not had an unseen threat hanging over them, like they did with Father.

After years of inactivity and no new information, the search had been put on the back burner. But after what the man had done, after what they knew he was capable of, the threat would always loom over them.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Elizabeth asked. Her hand snaked up his neck, causing the hairs to stand on end. It rested in his hair just above his right ear. A chill ran down his spine.

“No,” he replied after a moment’s consideration. “Not now. Let’s not disturb the peace.”

“All right.”

Riza fussed once more in her sleep, her little legs kicking against the swaddle. Both parents watched as she moved then settled.

“She really is amazing, isn’t she?” Elizabeth grinned.

Roy nodded. The hand on his head moved back to his shoulder. “I can’t believe we did this.” His voice was full of wonder, but there was a constant worry in his mind. After all the things he had done under Father’s control, did he really deserve to raise a child? Unthinkable things had been done by his hand. Even now as unbidden memories flashed in his mind, he tensed and his breath became short.

“It is okay,” Elizabeth soothed him upon noticing the tension. Her hand dropped to his upper arm, rubbing it in comfort. “You are safe now.”

How she had a knack of knowing what Roy was thinking, he would never know. But the man was eternally grateful for it. He loosed a breath, forcing the negative thoughts out of his mind. They had gone through this over and over during the last three years. He could recite the conversation in his head word for word. He did just that to remind himself he deserved to be here. Although it had been his hand that had carried out those orders, he had no control over the beast that had been shoved into his head. He had fought against it. Boy, had he fought. It took months after his rescue for him to return to his full strength. More often than not he had been able to push through and save the ones he loved. At the time he had thought it hadn’t been enough, but the Queen and Elizabeth were still breathing to this day. He spent every waking moment trying to make it up to them.

Such as not waking Elizabeth when their daughter woke up in the night.

“Thank you,” Roy breathed.

“That is what I am here for,” she smiled. “Come, let’s go and sleep.”

With a nod he stood. Kissing his daughter’s forehead he placed her back in her cot. Brushing the hair off her small face, the baby shifted at his touch.

“I cannot tell you how grateful I am for you both,” Roy admitted as they walked out of the room. The large bed looked incredibly inviting. Half an hour of sitting in the nursery was precisely what he needed to lull him to sleep.

“And I, you.”

As Roy drifted off to sleep he thought about the two most important women in his life. He would be damned if he allowed anything to happen to them. His grip on Elizabeth’s waist tightened in response to his thought, drawing her closer to his body. With a content sigh, she settled in to the bed, her hand coming to rest atop his. Her thumb stroked the back of his hand as Roy finally fell into a peaceful sleep.


	8. Puppy Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one was so fun to write! i hope you enjoy it!

**ELIZABETH**

Mother said she had to wear this stupid tiara tonight but Elizabeth didn’t know why. As she stared at herself in the mirror she turned her nose up in disgust at the flashy accessory. She was a princess so it made sense, but it was hardly practical. Elizabeth had never been one for dresses and jewellery but Mother insisted on it tonight.

Her gaze travelled wistfully over to her sword that lay against the couch in her room.

A knock sounded at the door and Elizabeth sighed.

“Time to go, My Lady,” Mrs. Henderson called through the door.

“Coming,” Elizabeth called, giving her appearance one last frown. At least she had a knife hidden underneath her skirts. A thrill ran through her as her riding boots contacted with the marble floor. Her gown was so long that her footwear of choice was hidden. Mother never said anything about not wearing those damned high heels. A grin spread across her face.

“Oh you look incredible Miss Elizabeth,” Mrs. Henderson gushed. She even removed a handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably on the spot. Nobody had cried over the way she looked before.

“Thank you, Mrs. Henderson,” the princess replied. The compliment about her appearance may have made her uncomfortable but she had still been brought up to be a lady.

“Come now.” The older woman reached for her hand and grasped it tightly, ushering the princess out of her bedrooms. “Your mother and father are awaiting your appearance.”

Nerves settled in Elizabeth’s stomach.

Noticing the slightly panicked look on the Princess’ face, Mrs. Henderson chuckled to herself. “Do not fret my dear. The announcement will only last a couple of minutes then you will be free to do as you please for the rest of the night.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “That is not what I am nervous about.”

This week she had turned sixteen and was now seen by society as a woman. And because she was a Princess, she had to be introduced to the court officially. Tonight, this ball, was all about her. While Elizabeth knew she would need to become accustomed to a lot of attention being on her, it was still a daunting task.

Not to mention the fact that there would be potential suitors there tonight to meet her specifically. Of course, Elizabeth had no time for such things. However, it was her duty to converse with these people and build relationships with the Lords and Ladies. When she became Queen she would need all the allies she could get. Her mother stressed how important tonight was for making connections.

“I know the maids like to gossip and tell their stories about the noblemen and women of the court,” Mrs. Henderson sighed, her face taking on a disapproving look. She had never been one to gossip, and Elizabeth had never bothered with it either, but one still heard things around the castle. “But your parents will keep you right. They know these people well. They wouldn’t leave you to get mixed up in unsavoury affairs.”

“I know. Thank you.” It had eased her fears slightly, but her stomach still felt tight.

When they approached the door to the main hall the nerves had bundled themselves into a large ball. She wished Roy was by her side so that he could make some dumb joke and ease her worries. Either that, or she could tease him in some way to get her mind off things.

But he wasn’t here. Apparently this was her night only and her shadow was already in the main hall.

She wasn’t sure if her father had pushed her old friend to become a bodyguard of sorts for her. But in the last few weeks Roy had been acutely aware of her safety for everything. The activities they had carried out were nothing different from the training they had carried out the week prior. But, all of a sudden he was questioning everything.

“Are you ready?” Mrs. Henderson asked her quietly outside the door. She kindly old woman smiled at her, like a grandmother would at their grandchild. It brought Elizabeth great comfort, which she was thankful for. Invisible lint was brushed off the sleeves of her gown and wrinkles were smoothed out as the guards outside the door watched on, amused at the ever growing frustrated look on Elizabeth’s face.

“Yes,” Elizabeth replied, throwing her shoulders back and lifting her chin. Even if she felt like a ball of nerves, she would not show the world that was the case. She was Elizabeth Hawkeye, Princess of Amestris and heir to the throne. A room full of stuffy old men and women would be an easy task.

With tears filling her eyes once more, Mrs. Henderson nodded and murmured something to the guards, who nodded. They knew the drill. The trumpets would sound and Mr. Henderson – her father’s steward – would signal her arrival.

 _You can do this, Elizabeth_.

The trumpets sounded and she jumped in fright. The guards moved to stand to attention but they chuckled anyway. Elizabeth huffed to herself, embarrassed by her slip.

“My Lords and Ladies, it is my pleasure to present to you this evening Princess Elizabeth Hawkeye.”

The doors opened and Elizabeth blinked at the sudden light compared to the dim hallway. Spells had been cast on the chandeliers – called witch light – to brighten up the room along with the candlelight. The main hall itself was decorated exquisitely. Streamers and witch light decorated the pillars around the room. The decorations were predominantly blue in colour and theme, with even the witch light holding a bluish tinge to it.

Elizabeth willed her legs not to shake as she descended the stairs before her. She was thankful once more she had foregone the heels. Mr. Henderson gripped her hand tightly, also offering support, and smiled his toothy grin when they arrived at their destination. He bowed low before backing away so she was in full view of everyone.

She swallowed as she finally noticed how many people were in the room below her. Too many sets of eyes stared back at her. Feeling the panic rise, Elizabeth took a deep breath.

 _You can do this_.

Instead of lingering on the faces of the noblemen and woman, her eyes scanned the room, subtly looking for someone in particular. However the applause and the beckon from her father interrupted her mission to find the familiar mop of dark hair.

For three hours she spoke with Lords and Ladies, making connections like her mother told her to. Eight times out of ten she wanted to punch the Lords in the face for their not-so-subtle comments about her ability to rule. The Ladies were no better, inquiring when she would take a husband and produce an heir. It was that, or they were trying to force their son upon her.

The worst part was she had been left to speak to these people herself. Elizabeth doubted her mother and father knew the true nature of these people. They were all too eager to suck up to the King and Queen and earn their favour. Apparently the Princess was not important enough to practice the same behaviour with. No matter. Elizabeth made a mental note of their faces and names. When she came into power she would ensure they received the same disdainful and downright disrespectful treatment they were giving her tonight.

She was not some maiden, like they assumed. Elizabeth did admit, she played on it slightly. Better for them to think she wasn’t a threat to their titles and lands. Then, when all was revealed when she turned Queen, the look on their faces would be even more satisfying.

And their _children_. My god. She had not had the pleasure of speaking to another young woman all night. It had all been men who were too stuck up and smug for their own good. If Elizabeth had her own way she would not have given them a second glance. However, she wanted to make her mother proud so she tolerated it. The Princess had noticed her shooting her glances all night and Elizabeth tried her best to reply positively. She only hoped it had been convincing.

In the whirlwind to move around the guests, Elizabeth had completely forgotten to search for the one person who would have made this night bearable. Not that she even had the chance to anyway.

After meeting everyone of importance, her father _eventually_ saved her from the socialising hell.

“I do apologise, Lord Lochan,” he interrupted the portly man and seemed anything but sorry. “But I must steal my daughter away for a moment.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” he boomed far too loudly for the distance between them. Far too eager to suck up to the King.

Without another word, Berthold steered Elizabeth away from the man.

“I do apologise for not doing it sooner,” he added, his voice low so only she could hear. “I could not escape myself.” Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, glancing up at him. Berthold grimaced. “I do not enjoy nights like this any more than you do apparently.”

Fear would have gripped her if Elizabeth cared enough about what these Lords and Ladies thought. “Was I that obvious?” she deadpanned.

Berthold chuckled. “No, you were perfect. But I recognise a tortured soul when I see one. Here,” he opened the door to the balcony outside. “Take your time. I will cover for you.”

Elizabeth perked up and her eyes lit up at the grant of freedom. “Thank you, father,” she whispered, slipping out the door.

She loved her mother, but events like this were just not for her.

The cool air washed over her skin, soothing the burning that was present in her cheeks from the stuffy room. Her skin prickled in response, drawing out goose bumps on her arms. She shivered involuntarily but she was extremely glad to be out of that room.

Elizabeth heard something shift behind her and within a heartbeat her visitor was pressed up against the wall next to the door she had just exited from, the knife from underneath her skirts pressed at their throat.

“Hey,” Roy grinned at her. Despite the fact she had a knife at his throat, he still smiled and even offered a wave.

Elizabeth sighed. “Sorry,” she muttered tiredly, lowering the knife.

“Has the night been that bad?” he chuckled as he straightened out his waistcoat. Elizabeth watched him, finally looking at him.

She felt a blush creep over her cheeks as she took in his appearance. He wore a full suit, complete with a waistcoat and silver pocket watch. In the dark balcony she couldn’t quite make out the colour, but she guessed it was a deep navy. It suited him well. In fact, it looked _really_ good to the sixteen year old standing before him. So close, in fact, that her blush deepened as the smell of his soap and the smell of _him_ reached her.

Elizabeth turned at looked out over the balcony. Her hands were braced on the marble wall surrounding it, her finger pressed into the stone. It would not offer any comfort, but that extra stability would be what she needed to calm her racing heart.

Roy walked up beside her, copying her stance. She noticed how agonisingly close his hand was next to hers. If her old friend noticed, he show no indication as he stared out over the houses below the castle.

“You looked like you were having fun,” he smirked, turning his attention to her. Damn him and his sarcasm. Well, two could play at that game.

“I was thrilled, in fact.”

“Oh?” His smirk widened as he turned to face her, pleased she was playing along. He leaned against the marble with his hip, crossing his legs over one another.

“Oh yes. These Lords and Ladies are _very_ interesting people.”

“How so?”

Elizabeth brought a finger to her chin and cocked her head, pretending to mull it over. “Like watching paint dry is my best guess.” Roy guffawed. “So, you know, the _best_ kind of interesting.” He continued to laugh and even Elizabeth found herself giggling as well. It was a laugh she loved to hear.

“That sounds like hell,” he remarked once his laughter was under control.

Elizabeth nodded. “I can think of absolutely nothing worse. You are lucky,” she added quietly. Feeling the fatigue of the night over taking her, Elizabeth turned around and sat on the cool ground. The cold seeped through her dress but she didn’t care. Her knees were bent, feet flat on the ground, and the Princess also didn’t care that this was not a very ladylike way to sit. There was enough material under her skirts that it all puffed up, irritating her while she sat.

Roy joined her, chuckling at her attempts to tame all the material. He also showed his appreciation for her choice of footwear.

“Mother insisted I wear this dress,” Elizabeth replied, finally giving up trying to squash down all the material. “There was no way I wasn’t going to choose my own footwear.”

“Always practical. I like it.”

The blush appeared once more across her cheeks. But it was dark enough in the shadow of the short wall that Elizabeth hoped he wouldn’t notice.

It had been until a couple of weeks ago that Elizabeth finally started to notice Roy. _Really_ notice him. Growing up he had been her best friend, but also someone to tease and play with every day. They had become inseparable, and still were to this day.

But now that she was a woman things were starting to change. When he smiled at her, Elizabeth noticed an odd sensation appearing in her stomach while her heart fluttered in her chest. She found herself wanting to spend more and more time with him, which was becoming increasingly difficult as her lessons about becoming Queen picked up in frequency and length week by week.

The only time they had to themselves was during training. About six times out of ten she would always beat him in a sparring match. It pleased her greatly and irritated him no end, which only furthered her amusement. When it came to magic, however, she was completely outgunned. The boy had always been tricky, casting subtle spells while they sparred, to ensure his victory.

The memory of the two of them training last week came unbidden into Elizabeth’s head.

 _Not now_ , she thought with embarrassed horror. Her stomach clenched and her heart fluttered.

Elizabeth had been winning but something Roy had said – she couldn’t even remember what – threw her. In a second, he had her pinned in the dirt. The memory of his leg pressed across her hips, his hands grasping her own above her head, still haunted her to this day.

“I tried to look for you earlier,” Elizabeth managed to choke out. Anything to steer her mind away from the path it was currently travelling down. “I’m sorry, I got caught up in speaking to stuck up Lord So and So and his wife, Lady Patronising as Hell.”

Roy choked. “I don’t think referring to them like that will win you any favours.”

“I don’t care,” she replied.

“You should,” he replied suddenly. Elizabeth frowned, turning to face him. “This is your future you are building here. You shouldn’t be worrying about seeing me. You should be building relationships.”

“You sound like my mother.”

Roy shrugged. “She is right. You need to focus on this, not on me.”

Elizabeth sat up a little straighter. _What was he saying?_

“The thought of talking to these people any longer than necessary makes me want to vomit. The only way I will ever get through this is with you by my side.”

Silence descended. The cool wind had blown out the candles long ago leaving them in darkness. Elizabeth wished she could see his face in that moment to see what he was thinking. He _needed_ to understand that. When she became Queen she wanted him by her side. Surely he knew that already?

When he didn’t reply Elizabeth sighed. Leaning against his warm body, she shifted closer to the heat, grasping his arm tightly. Elizabeth wasn’t sure if it was the nature of his magic that always made him so warm, or if he was simply one of the lucky ones with good blood circulation, but she was always thankful for it. Her head lowered to his shoulder and she closed her eyes, basking in his ever present comfort and warmth.

“Anyway,” she yawned, feeling the fatigue overtake her once more. “Life would be boring without you. I would have no one to tease, and that is no way to live at all.”

She felt him chuckle beneath her head.

Enveloped in his warmth, she allowed herself to drift off into the abyss. 

* * *

 

**ROY**

His stomach clenched upon hearing Elizabeth’s words.

She wanted him by her side?

He had known by simply walking into the main hall tonight that he was well out of his league. He would never be at the same standard as the other people in the room. Just one glance at the sons of the noblemen made his heart plummet into his stomach. Elizabeth would be expected to pick one of those… gentlemen for a husband.

And not him.

His parents were old friends with the King and Queen, but they were not of high status. Definitely lower on the rungs of society’s ladder than anyone in this room tonight. He had felt extremely inferior next to them all. His hopes of one day courting Elizabeth had been dashed tonight. He had always held onto that foolish hope, but that was exactly what it was. The dream of a fool.

Then he saw her enter the room… She had literally taken his breath away. As if his eyes had been opened, he was seeing her for the first time.

It had been in the last couple of weeks that he had felt something shift between them. He thought back to their sparring match and quickly dismissed the thought, out of the fear that the issue would suddenly become _very_ apparent.

He hadn’t meant to pin her. She had been aggravating him the whole time and he snapped. He had only been trying to shut her up. But it worked. Elizabeth had been so shocked, her lips parted slightly as she stared up at him with that _look_ she had worn.

Roy shivered and not from the cold.

Even now with her head on his shoulder it felt right. The pair had been together since they had first met. Roy knew that it would kill him to see someone else courting her. His heart would shatter into pieces if he witnessed her marry another.

But he would swallow his grief because Elizabeth was his Queen. She always had been, since they first met. He would do anything for his Queen, even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness for her and her kingdom.

The words left a bad taste in his mouth. But while she was currently dozing on his shoulder, he would indulge himself. He could pretend that one day they would be married and scenarios like this would become the norm. His stomach clenched at the thought of moments like this no longer being possible if she had a husband, but Roy firmly pushed them away.

They would never be able to marry, he was sure of it. He was not good enough for a Princess. But he would do his absolute best to protect her life in every way possible.

And for tonight, for just now… He would pretend. 

* * *

 

 **AMELIA**  

The Queen tutted to herself and shook her head, but not without a smile once her husband informed her of where her daughter currently was hiding. Ameila was proud of Elizabeth. She had done phenomenally well tonight, charming each and every one of the guests here.

Truth be told, Amelia wasn’t fond of these events but it was a necessary evil to ensure their subject’s loyalty. The last thing they needed was a coup like scenario from the noblemen and women. It had happened in the past and Amelia was a firm believer in looking at history to ensure it didn’t repeat itself.

Silently the Queen slipped outside into the balcony her daughter had escaped to, only to freeze.

Elizabeth was on the floor facing her, skirts all bunched up on her lap. Amelia’s lips quirked upwards at the sight of the leather boots, but what made her smile broaden was the sight of Elizabeth’s head on Roy’s shoulder as she slept against him. The latter’s eyes were also closed, but his breathing was not as deep and even as her daughter’s.

“I love you Riza,” he whispered quietly to her sleeping daughter.

It made Amelia’s chest want to burst in happiness, but something held her back. It was Roy’s tone… There was an element of sadness in there. It was so intense that Amelia froze once more. The pain had been so raw in his voice that it had cracked slightly on the fond nickname the man had given her not too long ago.

_Why did it sound like he was saying goodbye?_

Amelia cleared her throat quietly. She watched as Roy’s eyes popped open. Her expression turned amused as the stark fear shot across his features. He stuttered quietly to himself, trying to find an explanation, but was coming up blank.

Amelia walked over to them both, noting how he was flapping, but he made sure Elizabeth’s head never fell from his shoulder. She also didn’t miss how their hands were entwined together in between their bodies.

“Your Majesty,” he stammered. “I can explain.”

“Hush,” she soothed him. “You don’t need to explain anything,” she smiled. “I have known for years this day would come. I am simply pleased you have realised it too.” Roy’s mouth fell open in surprise and his face turned a deep red. “When she awakes could you escort her to her rooms?” Roy nodded mutely, still too surprised. “Tell her I am very proud of her tonight. And I am proud of you too,” the Queen added cryptically, even winking at the young man who had stolen her daughter’s heart.

Since they were both children, Amelia knew this day would come. She knew Roy had some reservations about the situation, but he had never shared what they were. The Queen had only hoped he would either share them with her, or discuss it with Elizabeth. They were clearly meant to be together and it would devastate both Elizabeth and Roy if that never happened.

Silently, Amelia returned to the main hall.

“Is everything all right, my love?” Berthold asked as she re-joined him.

“Everything is perfect.”


	9. Stupid Mistake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a sequel to chapter 8  
> this idea has been sitting with me since i posted chapter 8 and i have been itching to write it  
> enjoy!

**ELIZABETH**

Elizabeth sighed in relief as she was dismissed for the night. She leaned heavily against the heavy oak door she had just exited from and took a deep breath. Then she grinned.

She was finally free! Pushing off the door with renewed vigour she skipped down the empty hallway until she reached the end, entering the main hallway to the castle. Staff were milling about here so she slowed her gait, but her excitement was still plain on her face.

Ever since her introductory ball she had been stuck in dinner’s and lunches with the Lords and Ladies of their lands. It was tedious, it was boring, and it was downright exhausting listening to their petty conversation. “Lord Something or Other did this,” they would tell her father, who only nodded in feigned understanding. “Deal with them,” they’d say and the King would dole out some kind of advice to placate them, then catch her eye after looking away. By the end of the two weeks Elizabeth had become an expert at hiding her laughter behind her tea cup.

Now it was all over and done with! The last two weeks had been hell for Elizabeth. She missed Roy. She missed normal conversation. She also desperately missed her training. Her hands were itching to hold a sword or a bow in them again, rather than a tea cup. After all those lunches she didn’t know if she could face eating cake ever again.

It was a miracle her appetite had remained with her throughout regardless. The way their guests looked at her either made her blood boil or her skin crawl. She was not a piece of meat that would be auctioned off to them. She was not a woman who was going to be gifted off to one of their brats as a wife. They would be marrying _her_. They would be assuming _her_ name. Elizabeth would be the one to choose, not them. She deserved a bit of goddamn respect.

And their _sons_. Good grief. What a boring group of people. They either looked as uninterested as her or tried to woo her while their parents talked. It would be safe to say they were unsuccessful. She didn’t want to marry someone who made her shudder, thank you very much. Too bad they didn’t take the hint. The ones who were interested wouldn’t take no for an answer. It angered her that it took her father’s stern warning to get them to back off, but she was thankful for the support. Berthold didn’t want any of those smarmy bastards joining his family any more than she did.

“Oh!” somebody gasped in front of her. The tray Mr. Henderson carried was filled with papers and it wobbled in his surprise as Elizabeth almost collided with him. Two fluttered from the tray onto the floor.

“Oh, I’m sorry Mr. Henderson!” Elizabeth stooped low, her irritating dress bunching up around her waist. She snatched the papers from the floor and handed him to her father’s steward. “I wasn’t looking where I was going,” she replied sheepishly. She couldn’t help it. She had just been too excited.

Mr. Henderson chuckled. “No harm done, My Lady.”

“Sorry! I’ll be more careful next time!” she called back in her haste to reach her destination. Mr. Henderson just shook his head and smiled fondly as she grinned back at him.

Once the busy part of the castle had been navigated successfully Elizabeth began to run. She sprinted up the stairs to her rooms, taking two at a time. Once there she changed into her comfortable clothes in record time. She removed her hair from its up-do and shook her head, feeling her tresses fall about her face. Looking in the mirror she noticed how flushed her face was. She grinned at her reflection then ran out of her room. The door slammed behind her as she knocked on her neighbour’s.

* * *

 

**ROY**

Roy tensed when he heard the knock on his door. He debated with himself, wondering if leaving it would convince his guest to leave him be.

That was a coward’s way out.

He folded his shirt neatly and placed it in the trunk. Breathing in and out he willed his hands to steady, but the shake didn’t want to disappear. Because he _knew_ who was on the other side of the door. He _knew_ the conversation he had dreaded for the last two weeks was coming. No one else knew about his plan and now he was going to drop the bomb and hurt the person he swore he never would. He had known this day was coming as he sat on that balcony with Elizabeth’s head on his shoulder.

Roy wasn’t entirely sure about Elizabeth’s feelings towards him. They had never talked about it and Roy didn’t want to bring up his. He wasn’t suited for a Princess, he knew that. He had known it for years. No one had said these words to him, but deep in his gut he had always known. The King and Queen seemed unfazed about his relationship with their daughter, but now she had been introduced to society she would be expected to choose a husband of similar social status. He was an orphan. Yes, his parents had been good friends of the royal family, but they had held no lands, no titles. They were commoners but they were good, honest people.

As he opened the door his heart constricted painfully. There she was. She looked stunning in her casual attire. For the past two weeks she had worn nothing but dresses and complained about them constantly to him. Well, whenever he had made himself available. Oh, he had wanted to seek out his oldest friend every day, but then he would remember exactly where she was headed. She was going somewhere he would not be permitted. He would not be able to follow her. Reality was like a cold bucket of water being poured over him. So he had stayed away.

But… She was so beautiful. Her smile was radiant, appearing to light up the darkened hallway behind her. Her long hair tumbled around her shoulders. Roy itched to run his fingers through it. His hand remained clenched by his side while the other gripped the door handle tighter.

_You are not good enough for her._

“Hi!” she beamed. She was so excited… This wasn’t fair. Roy wished he didn’t have to do this to her, but it was for the greater good. It would kill him to watch her marry someone else. He wasn’t strong enough to do that. So he would leave. He would leave this castle and Elizabeth behind so she could be happy.

That was his plan.

Briefly he had hoped to sneak out undetected but that wouldn’t be fair to Elizabeth. Plus, it wouldn’t be right. The King and Queen had taken him in at his mother and father’s last request before they died. They had given him everything. A roof over his head, magic lessons, and a friend he had grown to love. He couldn’t just ditch them like that. Tomorrow he would officially request their permission to move to the Mage’s College. It was far enough away that, over time, Elizabeth would forget all about him. He would watch her reign as a brilliant and loving Queen from afar.

He had sworn to protect her life when he had become a soldier. As his future Queen he had a duty to protect her at all costs. She had recently begun talking about becoming a Captain in the guard. She had dreamed about it for years. Her determination and drive during training left no doubt in his mind that she would be a fantastic Captain. He had vowed he would ride by her side as her equal, the two of them fighting side by side.

But he would never be her equal, would he?

“Roy?” she asked once he didn’t reply. Her smile faltered.

Roy shook his head. “You shouldn’t be here,” he told her. Every word felt like a dagger in his own heart, but he didn’t dare let it show. If Elizabeth saw his weakness she would know he was lying.

“What?” she asked as she stepped inside his rooms. Composing himself, he let out a quiet breath and closed the door.

“Don’t you have a dinner to go to?” he replied, trying a different tactic. To be honest he hadn’t meant for that to be his greeting. It had just slipped out. Damn, he was becoming distracted with her so close to him.

Her bright smile returned. “Nope! They are all done.” She flopped down on his bed as she had done so many times before, staring up at the ceiling looking extremely relieved. Roy realised just how inappropriate that action would be from now on. This wasn’t good. Elizabeth sighed happily and took a deep breath. Roy’s stomach tightened.

He didn’t reply to her because in all honesty every word was stuck in his throat. He couldn’t do this to her. He _couldn’t_ –

He would. This was for the best. Elizabeth had her duty and now he had his. He would leave and train hard to become better at his fire magic. Elizabeth would get married and if that news didn’t kill him, in a few years he might be able to return to join the royal guard once more and continue the job he had promised himself he would do, protecting her at all costs.

There would just be someone else to protect as well… Maybe a small child too –

 _Stop torturing yourself, Roy_.

But that was his reality now, as bleak as it looked.

“I’m sorry I haven’t seen you very often these last two weeks,” Elizabeth explained exasperated. Her eyes continued to search the ceiling above his bed. They had lain there for hours over the past couple of years, simply talking about life. His chest contracted painfully as he realised how much he would miss her. Once he was rid of these troublesome feelings, he would return and hopefully keep that friendship with Elizabeth. There would be no more lying side by side in either of their beds though, complaining about the things teenagers think are the end of the world. That saddened him more than anything.

He was going to _really_ miss her.

“I have been _so_ busy with those stupid lunches and dinners. Mother insists I go, and I understand why, but I _hate_ it. I don’t think Mother and Father as too keen on it either, but as Mother likes to say, “We can’t let history repeat itself”!” Elizabeth propped herself up on her elbows, grinning at him. When she saw his face, her smile fell. Then she noticed how everything was out of place in his room. One of his trunks lay to his left while the other lay at the foot of the bed, half filled with his clothes. “Where are you going?”

Roy brushed aside how she sounded slightly fearful. That must have been part of his imagination. “To the Mage’s College.”

“Why?” she demanded.

“To improve upon fire magic,” he replied, voice strong and determined. A lie. Inside he felt anything but. The terrified look in her face made his chest burn. “I want to get better.”

“That will take… years.”

Roy nodded. “Yes.”

“But… But… You can’t go!”

The desperation in her voice almost floored him. He wouldn’t dare to dream she shared the same feelings he did because if Roy did, he may never leave. He would never be able to do what must be done.

“I must. It is the only way I will get better.”

“Father can teach you.” She shot up from the bed. “He has done it for years. There is no reason for him to stop now.”

“He already has.”

“What?” she whispered.

“He told me that for a few months lessons will stop while he has duties to attend to. You come first to him, and rightly so,” Roy replied evenly, his stomach churning painfully. “He has to assure your future first and foremost.”

“But… But…” She desperately tried to find words to say.

“If I go to the Mage College I can improve on my skill there and get better faster. Then I can come back in a couple of months.” That last part was a barefaced lie. It looked like Elizabeth knew it. Her eyes narrowed.

“You won’t come back, will you?”

She had figured it out a lot sooner than he had anticipated, but he didn’t know why he had expected anything less. Elizabeth could always see right through him.

“I will.”

“Don’t _lie_ ,” she demanded. “Not to me.”

“I will return, Elizabeth.”

“Stop it!” she shouted. She was angry. This was not something he had anticipated. “What is this about? Really?”

“Nothing,” Roy replied, swallowing thickly. This was moving into dangerous territory.

“Bullshit.” Roy choked. “Tell me the truth. _Now_.”

“Riza –”

“If you lie to me again I will stab you with a knife,” she barked. He cursed himself. He promised he wouldn’t use that nickname. Not anymore. They needed distance, not the closeness that nickname provided. In fact, he had coined it for her in this very room late one night.

“I’m not good enough for you!” he exploded. The resulting silence threatened to suffocate him.

“What?”

It was too late. The damage was done.

“I am not good enough for you,” he repeated. Each word was a sucker punch to his gut because he had always known this, but had never admitted it out loud.  The thought of Elizabeth agreeing with him might just end him then and there.

“Says who?” she demanded. Tears pricked at her eyes, but Elizabeth made no move to wipe them away.

“I do!” he shouted. “I’m nothing! I’m no noble man, nor do I hold any titles or lands in this kingdom. I am just an orphan,” he added sadly. “An orphan doesn’t get to marry a Princess.”

“You… You…!”

“What, Riza?” He threw caution to the wind.

“You idiot!” she shouted, tears falling freely down her face. Her voice was thick with emotion now. “Is that what this is all about?”

“All what?” he asked cautiously. Frowning, Roy didn’t particularly enjoy being called an idiot. Plus, this was… unexpected.

“You have been avoiding me for weeks. Every time you look at me it is with a sad look on your face, like you know something bad is coming but won’t tell me.” Her tears continued to fall and Roy felt his heart constrict. He hadn’t wanted to do this to her. Roy had promised himself he would _never_ make her cry. This was so much worse because he had hurt her as well. “I ignored it because I didn’t want to believe it, but this…!” She gestured angrily at the trunks around his room. “This is _stupid_!”

“How is it stupid?” he demanded himself. “I am doing not only you, but myself a favour.”

“How?”

“Because…” The words died in his throat. He didn’t want to admit it to her. Admitting it to Elizabeth meant it would become real.

“What?!”

“Because I love you!” Elizabeth’s mouth opened in shock, her eyes boring into his. “I love you and I think it might _kill_ me to watch you marry one of those stupid kids. So yes, I will leave and go to the Mage College. When I’m there you will forget all about me and be able to do your duty as a Princess.”

Elizabeth just continued to stare at him.

“But –”

“Don’t ask me to stay,” he growled. “Don’t be selfish. I will always be your friend, Riza, but don’t ask me to watch you do _that_. I can’t.”

She continued to say nothing and that was all the answer Roy needed. Elizabeth knew it and Roy knew it. They would never be able to be together. That was a damning fact.

He strode across to the trunk holding his clothes and begun to back once more, folding his shirts as his hands trembled. “I will be out of your hair tomorrow.”

A hand gripped his forearm tightly and spun him around. His brow furrowed in confusion and anger. _What_ was she doing –?

She kissed him. Her lips pressed against his hard and Roy was too shocked to respond.

“Don’t _ever_ say you are not good enough for me,” she stated fiercely. “You are the best person for me. You understand me better than anyone else does, better than my _parents_.” Her gaze fell to his chest, where one of her hands now rested. He felt her warmth through his shirt and he savoured it. “I meant what I said on that balcony. I want you by my side through all of this but not as a guard and not as a friend.”

“But –”

“No buts!” Her hardened expression softened as she smiled at him. “I love you too, Roy. Always have. I want you by my side as a King.”

Roy was speechless. This couldn’t be happening.

“You may not think you are worthy but it is _I_ who feels unworthy of you. You are so good. I was just scared that you wouldn’t want this life of dinners and balls so I never asked you. I didn’t want to bring it up because I was terrified of _this_ happening.” She gestured around the room.

“I just thought… I wanted to do the right thing. I wouldn’t have been able to stay if you didn’t feel the same way.”

His Riza smiled up at him. Her eyes wet with unshed tears. “You always try to do the right thing. This…” She looked around the room. “Was not it. Why didn’t you just talk to me?” He felt the hurt in her voice inside his own heart. “We talk about everything.”

“I know.” He wrapped both arms around her. The shirt he had been holding fell to the floor, forgotten. “I’m sorry,” he whispered kissing the top of her head. Roy felt her sigh beneath his arms. “But like you, I was scared too.”

“New rule; you stop being an idiot about this.” She chuckled as Roy scoffed in response. “You know I am right.”

“You are always right, Riza.”

The grip on him tightened. “And I will always be _your_ Riza. Understood?”

“Yes, dear,” he replied dutifully, laughing quietly as Riza giggled against his chest. “Although,” he pulled away, looking down into her eyes. “Our first kiss wasn’t the best one. May I rectify that?”

The smile on her face was as bright as the sun.

“You may.”


	10. Arguments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the last oneshot of this fic! it's been a wild ride that started all the way back in 2014. four and a bit years later i'm finally finished with this au. i have enjoyed every minute and i hope you have too!  
> thank you to all who have followed this story and it's oneshots, and who are still interested in it! i'm grateful for every one of you!

**RIZA**

Riza crept up the hallway to the dining room. A mischievous grin bloomed over her face as she heard her mother and father talking. She was still too far away to hear what was being said but she heard her father’s deep voice resonate through the room. She giggled to herself. She was going to get them good this time!

Grandfather had often told her she was as silent as a mouse. She could creep up on anyone in the castle without being discovered. She gave the maids a shock every time. Except old Mrs. Henderson, Riza frowned. She always seemed to know where Riza was. With a huff she crept further forwards, her ears straining to listen to what was being said so she could pick the perfect time to jump out.

“I can’t do this. Not again,” her mother whispered. She sounded sad Riza noticed with a start. Worry crept into her chest. Why was Mama sad?

“I’m sorry,” her father replied. He sounded sad too. Why was everyone so sad? “I really am, but I think it’s for the best.”

“The best for who, Roy?” Her mother’s voice rose. It sounded like she was angry at him. “Because it sure isn’t the best for you. This will solve nothing and you know it.”

“But I _need_ to go. If there is a chance that this lead takes us somewhere then I can’t put you at risk.”

Riza edged around the corner to peek in the room. Mama _was_ angry! Her hands were on her hips and she was looking at Dad like she looked at little Riza when she did something bad. Pressing her hand over her mouth to hide the sounds of her breathing, Riza watched the exchange silently with wide eyes.

“You can’t put me at risk but I can sit here and do nothing once more while you risk your life?!” Riza jumped at Mama shouting. She didn’t like it when Mama shouted. Riza had only seen it happen once before. It was scary. “I’ve already watched you die once, Roy, and I do _not_ intend to sit around while it might happen again!”

Dad’s hands clenched into fists. Riza’s eyes widened. Now he was angry too! Riza wanted to run away. She had never seen both of them so angry before. Especially not at each other. She didn’t like it. Mama and Dad loved each other very much so why were they shouting at each other? Her Curiosity held her hostage and Riza remained put.

“Would you just _think_ for a second? What about Riza?” The girl jumped at the mention of her name, thinking she had been spotted. Fearfully, her eyes jumped between her parents, afraid she had been discovered. “Who will protect her?”

“Do _not_ play that card on me Roy.” Mama raised her hand and pointed her finger at Dad. Riza stifled a gasp. It was rude to point at people! Mama told her off for that all the time. “She’s your daughter as well, in case you had forgotten. You can protect her as much as I can.”

“But I’m the only one who knows what to expect!”

Tears sprang to her eyes at the sound of Dad shouting. Riza clamped her hands over her ears at the volume. Squeezing her eyes shut she tried to block it out. Cracking one eye open, Riza noticed that Dad looked darker somewhat. The candles around the room flared suddenly. She knew Dad used fire magic, but why would the candles act like that? Did that happen when he was angry? Would water move when Riza became angry?

“I’m the one who has been there before. _I_ am the one who has… _worked_ with these people before. I know how they operate.”

“Do not ask me to go through that again Roy.” They were both speaking quieter now, which Riza liked. Hesitantly she removed her hands from over her ears. Riza was shocked to discover Mama was crying. She felt her own tears build behind her eyes. Mama never cried! “Because I won’t. And I won’t let you relive it again either. We’ve worked too hard to get you through everything. I won’t have it discarded because of some hunch some seedy bastard has.” Riza gasped. Mama swore!

Both her parent’s heads turned in her direction. Oh no! Riza turned to sprint away but the tone of her mother’s voice froze her in her tracks.

“Riza Hawkeye.” Busted.

Briefly, she thought about running away, but her mother already knew she was there. If Riza ran, then Mama might shout at her. Poking her head around the corner, Riza peered sheepishly at her parents. Dad didn’t look dark anymore and the fire from the candles had stopped moving.

“Come here, sweetheart.” Riza shuffled around the corner at her father’s soft command.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to listen,” she mumbled to the floor. “I just wanted to play a trick on you both and I forgot I’m not supposed to listen in on people talking.”

The room was silent and as time passed Riza became to fear that her parents would shout at her. They had never done it before, but she had seen other parents do it to their own children outside the castle. Riza never liked those people.

“Come here,” Dad beckoned, opening his arms for her. Riza scuttled over, clutching onto him tightly as she was lifted off the ground.

“Are you mad at me?” she asked, voice small.

“Not at all,” Mama smiled, but it wasn’t like her usual smile. It was like she was forcing it. Mrs. Henderson had told her all about those kinds of smiles. Riza still couldn’t wrap her head around why people would even do that in the first place.

“Why were you shouting at each other?” Riza gaze dropped to her hands that she currently clutched together. Her elbow rested on her father’s shoulder. “I don’t like it when you do.”

“It was nothing for you to worry about, little Riza,” Dad replied, kissing her cheek. Riza wasn’t convinced, but Dad wouldn’t lie to her, would he? And what was all that talk of Mama watching Dad die? She didn’t want him to die! She didn’t want him to go away!

“Listen, Riza, honey, there’s nothing for you to worry about, all right? We were just having a discussion that got slightly out of hand. I… I got angry when I shouldn’t have.” Riza looked up at her mother but noticed she wasn’t looking at her, she was looking at Dad. “I shouldn’t have shouted, I’m sorry.” Mama’s eyes were still on Dad’s before she finally looked down at Riza. Mama smiled at her, a proper one this time, and Riza found herself returning it.

Mama and Dad wold make sure she was safe. They would protect her like they always said they would. So, if Mama said it was nothing for her to worry about, she would believe her.

“Okay.”

“Why don’t you run along and see if your Grandmother would like some help in her garden?” Mama suggested. “She was asking for her favourite gardener earlier.”

Riza perked up at that. She liked planting things with Grandma. She had even given Riza a little pot to put in her room by the window so it would grow into some pretty flowers.

“Okay!”

Riza wriggled out of her father’s hold and ran for the door.

In her excitement at helping her grandmother she missed her mother and father talking quietly.

“We need to stop this,” Dad whispered.

“I know,” Mama replied sadly, wrapping her arms around Dad’s neck. “I’m sorry.”

“So am I.”


End file.
